Boat.



A. G. WILKINS.

BOAT.-

APPLIOATIOH FILED JAN. 23, 1908.

attozwm animator I .Vzfzb Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

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Boar.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ea 22, 1968.

Application filedJanuax-y 23, 1908. .Serial No. 412,269.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER G. WIL- KINS, a citizen of the United States of Amerlca, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boats of the catamaran type, and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide improved means for propelling this character of craft.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the construction generally and to render the buoyant tubes more rigid and efliclent.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,-

Figure l is a plan view of a boat made in accordance with my invention. Fig.2 is a central longitudinal section 011 the hue 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal section of one end of one of the buoyant tubes. 1

Referring to the drawing for a more specific description of my invention the numen als 1 designate the buoyant tubes made of comparatively thin sheet metal and absolutely air-tight, said tubes having wooden rings 2 fitted inside the same and metal straps surrounding the tubes outside the rings. The buoyant tubes are secured to the deck 4 of the boat by means of metal straps 5 whichpass around underneath the tubes, and the upper ends of said straps are passed through the deck 4 of the boat and fitted with suitable nuts 6. Underneath the deck cross pieces 7 are provided, and the threaded upper ends of the straps 5 may be passed through these cross pieces, as shown in Fig. 2. A suitable railing 8 is extended around the deck, and if desired corner posts maybe used for supporting an awning. The operators seat 9 is near the stern end of the boat.

The paddles 10 are in the form of rectangular blades, each hinged to a sto 11, said stop being secured to a bar 12, sai bar having secured at its opposite ends a rod 13 mounted to slide in guideways' 14, said guideways having grooved rollers 15 journaled therein. It is to be noted that there are two sets of paddles, one upon each side of the center of the boat between the buoyant tubes, and these paddles are identical in construction upon the opposite sides.

A bar 16 is pivoted at one end to the bar 12, while the opposite end is pivotally connected to the operating lever 17, said lever being provided with a handle 18. The bar 16 and the lever 17 extend through a slot 19 in the deck of the boat. A single paddle 20 similar to the paddles 10 is secured to a lever 21 pivoted upon a bracket 22 underneath the deck, said lever having a handle 23 for operating the same. This paddle is used for stopping the boat and for backing water.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the operator of the boat sits facing the bow and the direction of travel of the boat and that the paddles are self-feathering, since during the backward stroke they swing upon their pintles, while during the forward stroke they are held in a vertical position by the stops 11. I

My-invention is of simple construction, is perfectly safe as a pleasure craft or as a life boat, is light in weight, and hence can be run with considerable speed, and as a. whole is a very desirable boat for the purposes referred to.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is 1. In a boat of the character described, a series of hinged paddles supported upon a bar, means for stopping said paddles in a vertical position, rods connected to said supporting bar, said rods being mounted to slide between rollers journaled in brackets under the deck of the boat, and manually-operated means for reciprocating the supporting bars and paddles.

2. In a boat, a series of hinged paddles upon opposite sides of the center of the boat, said paddles being supported upon a bar and provided with stops to hold them in.

a vertical position, rods extending from the supporting bar, brackets secured underneath I the deck of the boat and provided with grooved rollers between which the rods are mounted, a bar pivotally connected to the a backwater paddle comprising a single supporting bar, and an operating lever to blade hinged to an operating lever. 10 Which said bar is connected. In testimony whereof I aifix my signature 3. In a boat of the character described, in presence of two Witnesses. the combination of buoyant tubes, a deck ALEXANDER G. WVILKINS. secured to said tubes, paddles upon opposite WVitnesses: sides of the center of said boat, said paddles VVALLACE '1. GALVIN,

beinghingedly supported upon a bar, and GEO. LEO. W'ILKIXS. 

